Kayal says players can draw on past successes to fire Albion into the Premier League

Beram Kayal

Published:11:30Friday 10 March 2017

Returning midfielder Beram Kayal says he will draw on his successful experience at Celtic to help fire Brighton & Hove Albion to the Premier League.

Last year’s player of the season is back fighting fit after a stop-start campaign due to an ankle injury - the seventh major one of his career - picked up back in September.

The Israeli international was back in the starting line-up in the 2-0 win at Rotherham on Tuesday night.

He is now hoping he and his team-mates can draw on their past success - in his own case winning the Scottish Premier League - to clinch promotion this year.

Kayal said: “I think it is the same, the way you are running at the top and teams are trying to catch you and stop you and doing everything they can.

“At Celtic, to win the cup or win the league, to qualifying for the Champions League was the massive thing for the club at that moment, but it was not acceptable if you didn’t win the league there. To compare it to this club, there is always the pressure when you are at the top, for the players, a lot of pressure coming to the changing rooms before every game.

“I think that the point is clear for us, to bring all the experience we have to approach every game like a cup final. Then we can do it properly and game by game.

“There are two games now until we go into the international break, so we need to think how we get the three points on Friday and work together as we are expecting a big, big game.”

On what stepping up into the top flight with this group of players means, Kayal added: “It will be the biggest thing for us as players and a big achievement for the club as well. With the character and togetherness, we have shown that here over the last three years. The club has had a lot of offers for players to go elsewhere, but we have stuck together. The main thing for this club is to fight and get into the Premier League.”